118: The Birth of Touch: When Jazz Became Personal

On this episode of The Jazz Flyte Podcast, I had the honor of sitting down with one of jazz’s true pioneers—John Klemmer. From the first few moments of our conversation, I could feel the weight of his experience, passion, and humility. John shares how his journey started with a guitar at five years old, and how he eventually found his voice through the saxophone, playing in Chicago jam sessions before most kids knew what jazz even was.We talk about his early days with Cadet Records, how Eddie Harris and other Chicago legends shaped his foundation, and his signing with the iconic Impulse Records. But what really moved me was hearing how Touch came to be—not just as a record, but as a spiritual moment in his life. John opens up about creating music that reflects internal change, why humility is the greatest lesson he learned from the jazz elders, and what Maurice White once shared with him before founding Earth, Wind & Fire.He also talks about staying creative today, his Jazz on the Patio video series, and his newest project Chateau Love. From producing songs with Minnie Riperton to watching Maya Rudolph grow up, John’s life is a timeline of incredible moments in music history.If you love music that moves the soul and stories that dig deep, you don’t want to miss this conversation.Connect with John: http://www.johnklemmer.com/bio/index.html